CONVICTED murderer Sikhumbuzo Raymond Zungu has urged the Pinetown Regional Court to consider sentencing him to 10 years’ imprisonment, with five of these suspended, for killing the mother of his child, Babongile Nkonyeni, last year.

This was contained in Zungu’s statement in mitigation of sentence read to the court on Tuesday (September 1) by his legal representative.

Also read: Pinetown school robbery gang seek to appeal sentence

In his statement, Zungu said the substantial and compelling circumstances which would be sufficient for the court to hand him down a sentence lesser than life, the prescribed minimum for murder, include that he had assisted the investigating officer; had pleaded guilty and so saved the court’s time; is a first time offender with a clean criminal record; that he has five minor children; and because he is remorseful for his actions and had learned his lesson, which is evidenced by him joining a church group following his incarceration.

Zungu has remained behind bars since his arrest two days after the October 26, 2025 murder of Nkonyeni.

In his guilty plea statement, Zungu had told the court that he was angered by pictures of a naked man which Nkonyeni received on her phone on the morning of the murder and so stabbed her multiple times in the chest with a sharp object.

The sentencing proceedings had to be adjourned and set for September 17 after Zungu’s attorney encountered a personal emergency.

For more from the Highway Mail, follow us on Facebook , X and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.

Click to subscribe to our newsletter here